MMAPredictions

This weekend MMA fans with HDNet will be able to watch Strikeforce: Melendez vs Thomson live from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, headlined by Josh Thomson against Cesar Gracie-lead Gilbert Melendez. The two were supposed to meet quite a while back but the fight had been delayed due to, among other things, an injury to Thomson’s shoulder.

Strikeforce has traditionally relied on local favorites Frank Shamrock and Cung Le to boost ticket sales among its fanbase in San Jose, and as neither of these MMA fighters appear on this card, this event is seen as an opportunity to develop fresh faces to its Northern California audience. Locals Gilbert Melendez, Bobby Southworth and Luke Stewart, all of whom fight this Friday, represent Strikeforce’s best bets at the moment in that regard.

Speaking of new talent, Raymond Daniels will be making his MMA debut on Friday. According to Strikeforce promotional materials, Daniels is “recognized as the number one Sport Karate fighter in the world, holds a 6th degree black belt in Kenpo and Shotokan Karate as well as a 5th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do”.

Daniels himself, a resident of Long Beach, California states:

“I’m going to give MMA fans something that they’ve never seen before. I want to become the greatest fighter of all time. Anybody that steps in front of me is just gonna be on my next highlight reel, an obstacle that’s standing in my path to greatness.”

The live HDNet telecast of the Strikeforce event will begin at 7:30 PM PST (10:30 PM EST). Preliminary fights begin at 6:30 PM.

UPDATE 10:22PM Pacific on Thursday evening: Drew Fickett has replaced Joe Riggs as Luke Stewart’s opponent. As always, you can keep up with updates to fight cards via our dedicated MMA Fight Card Updates thread in the forum!

- Caleb

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